Latch.



Patented Sept. 23, I902.

C. GARBER.

LATCH. (Application filed May 19, 1902.)

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WITNESSES E A TTORNE).

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IlNiTEn STATES PATENT @EEtc-E.

CHRISTIAN GARBER, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

, LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,538, datedSeptember 23, 1902.

Application filed May 19,1902.

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN GARBER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to latches, and more particularly to latches ofthe hook-and-eye type, and has for its object to provide a constructionwhereby changes in the relative position of the parts to which themembers of the fastening are applied-as, for instance, the gate andgate-post-may be readily compensated for, so as to make the latcheffective without removing either of the members.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features,which I willnow proceed to describe, and will then particularly point out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan View of a constructionembodying my invention, the parts being shown in the position which theyoccupy when the latch is originally applied or when the gate andgate-post are in their normal position. Fig. 2 is a plan section takenon the line at a: of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts of the latchadjusted to properly engage after the gate and gate-post have be comeseparated or have assumed an abnormal position. t

In the said drawings, 1 indicates a portion of a gate, door, or othersimilar movable part,

and 2 a gatepost, door-post, or the like.

3 indicates the latch proper or hook member, which comprises a shank 4and head 5, the head having oppositely-directed hooks 6 and 7, theengaging surfaces or edges 8 and 9 of which are at difierent distancesfrom the pivotal connection at the other end of the latch. This pivotalconnection is preferably effected by means of an eye 10 011 the end ofthe shank 4, whichengages a similar eye 11, provided with a threadedshank 12, adapted to screw into the wood and being, in effect, what isknown as a screw-eye, although an eyebolt or similar device may beemployed.

The keeper, which is indicated as a whole by the reference-numeral 13,comprises an $erial No. 107,935- (No model.)

eye 14: and a threaded shank 15, the eye being elongated and the shankbeing eccentric, so that one of the engaging edges of the eye-as, forinstance, the edge 16-is nearer the central line of the shank than theother engaging edge 17.

When the members of the latch are originally applied, as shown in Fig.l, the hook 3 is so turned that that head thereof-to wit, the head6which has its engaging edge 8 farthest from the pivot of the hook isdirected downward, while the eye 13 is so turned that its engaging edge16 nearest the axis of the shank is nearest the hook. In case the parts1 and 2 separate through sagging or other- Wise, thus increasing thedistance between the hook and eye, the parts may be caused to,

properly engage by either giving the eye 11 and the hook 3 a half-turnand reversing the hook, as indicated in Fig. 3, or by giving the eye 13a half-turn, as also indicated in Fig. 3, and in case the distancebecomes further increased both members may be turned into the positionshown in Fig. 3, thereby still permitting a proper engagement of themembers of the latch. Ordinarily it has been necessary to remove themembers from the woodwork and reapply them thereto in order to adjustthem to the position of the parts to which they are applied,whicl1 isobviously disadvantageous and which is rendered unnecessary by myimproved construction.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise detailsof construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, as it is obvious that these details may be modified withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a latch of the character described, the combination, with akeeper-eye constituting one member of the latch, of a hook constitutingthe other member of thelatch and comprising a shank, a connecting devicerotatably mounted in the part to which the hook is applied, the shank ofthe hook being pivotally connected at one end to said connecting device,and being provided at its other end with oppositely-directed fixed headsor engaging members, the engagingedges of which are at differentdistances from the pivotal connection of the shank, said hook beingreversible, substantially as described.

2. In a latch of the character described, the combination, with apivoted hook constituting one member, of a keeper constituting the othermember and consisting of an eye provided with an eccentric shankrotatably mounted in the part to which it is applied, the engaging edgesof the eye being at different distances from the axis of the shank,substantially as described.

8. In a latch of the character described, the combination, with akeeper-eye constituting one member of the latch, said eye having aneccentric shank rotatably mounted in the member to which it is applied,and-the engaging edges of the eye being at difierent distances from theaxis of the shank, of a hook constituting the other member of the latchand comprising a shank, a connecting device rotatably mounted in thepart to which the hook is applied, the shank of the hook being pivotallyconnected at one end to said connecting device, and being provided atits other end with oppositely-directed fixed heads or engaging members,the engaging edges of which are at different distances from the pivotalconnection of the shank, said hook being reversible, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination,with a gate or door and gate-post or door-post, of alatch comprising a screw-eye mounted in the door, a hook having a shankprovided at one end with an eye to engage the screw-eye and having atits other end oppositely-directed fixed heads with engaging edges atdifferent distances from the screw-eye, and a keeper consisting of anelongated eye having an eccentric threaded shank to engage the post,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN GARBER. Witnesses:

L. E. GARBER, W. FoRsYTH.

